(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of inerting a vat containing a consumable liquid, in particular wine, of the type in which an inerting gas heavier than air is injected into the gas overhead of the vat and, during this injection, the excess gas is removed through a purge orifice of the vat.
(ii) Description of Related Art
In the current technique of inerting wine vats, the flushing with gas is carried out on vats provided with an orifice available for letting gas in, generally a lateral tap on the vent of the vat, and a purge orifice placed at the center of the hatch for accessing the vat.
In this case, it is possible to flush with gas by dilution with gases such as nitrogen or a nitrogen/CO2 mixture.
However, this technique is not fully satisfactory, because a relatively long flushing process, consuming a large quantity of inerting gas, needs to be carried out in order to reach a sufficiently low residual oxygen level (typically less than 1%). Furthermore, this technique cannot be employed when the vat is provided with a single opening in its upper part, which is frequently the case.